Raiders hope Linderbaum's addition and Miller's return to health boost ailing offensive line

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Raiders general manager John Spytek didn't hesitate to try to improve the NFL's worst offensive line, a unit that made life miserable last season for quarterback Geno Smith and running back Ashton Jeanty.

He snagged three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum out of Baltimore by handing him the richest contract ever for an interior offensive lineman.

His presence and the return of standout left tackle Kolton Miller, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury after just four games, was a much-needed boost.

So there is genuine hope in Las Vegas the line will be better, but how much is difficult to tell.

“I think last year there was a lot of moving pieces," Miller said. "I think the goal is to have the best five out there, build together, add to it each day, and really build for long-term success. This isn’t easy. Coaching O-line takes time and it’s a lot of work. It’s underappreciated. You can’t get too frustrated about it. You’ve just got to find ways to improve each day.”

It's difficult to imagine the line being worse than last season, ranking last in the NFL in allowing 64 sacks and averaging 77.5 yards rushing per game and 3.57 per carry.

Smith was constantly on the run and the now-New York Jet threw a league-high 17 interceptions.

Jeanty was coming off a second-place finish for the Heisman Trophy, and the sixth overall pick of last year's draft was constantly met in the backfield. He still managed to rush for 975 yards, but his 1.6 yards per attempt before contact, according to Pro Football Reference, was third worst among backs with more than 100 rushes.

Thus it was not surprising that Spytek made improving the line among his highest priorities. He signed Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million contract, with $60 million guaranteed.

Getting Miller back on the field and at full health was almost like picking up a second free agent.

“We’re building chemistry, seeing how everybody blocks and how they move,” Jeanty said. "So we’re all kind of building that right now and growing with each other, and then when the pads come on, it’ll be a lot easier.”

While two of the line spots are locked up, the other three are a little more uncertain, though third-year player DJ Glaze is the front-runner at right tackle.

Spencer Burford, who played the previous four seasons at San Francisco, was the first-team left guard in the first two days of training camp, and third-year pro Jackson Powers-Johnson held down the right side. But there is competition behind them with Caleb Rogers, Jordan Meredith and Atonio Mafi getting second-team work.

“We have a lot of talented players at that position, and they’ll make the decision for us,” coach Klint Kubiak said. "We’re going to coach them up and we also know that whoever (starts) in Week 1 doesn’t mean that’s the starter in Week 17. So we’re always developing and getting guys better throughout the entire training camp and throughout the whole season.”

Kubiak knows the line must show some improvement to give the offense a fighting chance, and the Raiders have some key pieces to show off beyond Jeanty.

Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was brought in to not only lift the offense but act as a transition to expected future starter Fernando Mendoza, drafted first overall by Las Vegas in April.

The first five practices are not in pads, so judging the line's performance at this point in camp is tricky.

“I think we’re still getting good work with hand placement and guys are having to ID things and target it properly," Cousins said. "You also just have snap counts. You have urgency in and out of the huddle, you got conditioning, and you still have a pocket you got to work through. Sometimes the rush may not be as realistic without pads in both directions, but it still gives you something to work off of.”

The pads will go on soon enough and the line will have a better idea of where it stands.

“Guys come in the building each and every day and want to improve, and that’s all you can ask for out of an offensive unit,” Linderbaum said. "There are not many more reps until we’re going to be playing our first preseason game, so the more we can jell during that OTA period time and now camp is really critical and important.”

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Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Kolton Miller (74) speaks during a news conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Lucas Peltier)

Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum (65) speaks during a news conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Lucas Peltier)

Las Vegas Raiders tackles Kolton Miller (74) warms up during practice at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum (65) blocks center Will Putnam (67) during a drill during practice at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s police chief has resigned amid criticism of the city’s response to a fatal shootout at a food festival last weekend, Mayor Katie Wilson said Thursday.

The announcement followed hours of speculation about whether Police Chief Shon Barnes would step down, as some of his supporters said he had rebuffed Wilson’s request that he resign.

Wilson said she was appointing Deputy Chief Andre Sayles, a law enforcement veteran with more than two decades of experience, as interim chief.

Barnes told The Seattle Times earlier Thursday that whether he remained as chief was “up to the mayor.” He said he was off for the day and spending time with family.

In a written statement, the mayor said she was grateful for Barnes' service. The statement included comments in which Barnes called it an honor to have served the city.

“I hope this transition gives the city and this department the opportunity to return full focus to what matters most, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies,” Barnes said.

Barnes was out of town at a law enforcement conference when gunfire erupted last weekend at the Bite of Seattle, an annual three-day festival that draws hundreds of food and retail vendors and performers. Three people, including one suspect, were killed, and four people were wounded. One of the injured was a 2-year-old boy.

Dozens of officers were at the event, and at least one saw a 15-year-old suspect firing into a crowd and quickly persuaded him to surrender, according to court documents. Police are still searching for at least one other person.

Both the Seattle Police Department and Wilson have faced criticism for slow and confusing communication in the shooting's aftermath.

After an initial social media post announcing that there had been a shooting with multiple victims, it took nearly five hours for police to provide any additional information to the public, including whether there was any ongoing threat. In the meantime, Wilson announced that two people had been taken into custody, a statement she later retracted.

Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis finally provided an update around 11 p.m. Sunday night during news conference that was also attended by the mayor, Gov. Bob Ferguson and U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal.

Barnes was the second Black police chief in Seattle.

Several Black community organizations, including the Seattle NAACP and the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, rallied to try to save his job Thursday. In an open letter to the mayor's office, they credited him with improving relations between the department and the community, helping reduce gun violence and strengthening the department's operations.

“The tragic fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle was heartbreaking for our city, but Chief Barnes should not be made a scapegoat for the complex challenges of public safety," the letter said, calling it “the wrong decision at the wrong time.”

Civil rights lawyer James Bible was with a small group of Black leaders who met with Wilson early Thursday.

“I’m hopeful that she will take a step back and make a different decision for now and then create criteria for any future decisions,” Bible said.

Barnes was appointed by Seattle's previous mayor, Bruce Harrell, in December 2024 after serving as chief of the Madison, Wisconsin, police department.

When Wilson — a democratic socialist who once supported defunding police — won the mayor's race last year, she kept Barnes on as chief. That was a signal to the city's business establishment and community groups that she did not intend to take a radically different approach to public safety.

“Seattle had been on a positive course on public safety with police hiring trending up and crime trending down, particularly in the downtown core," Jon Scholes, president of the Downtown Seattle Association, said in an emailed statement. "It’s imperative the next chief of police is able to maintain progress that’s been made and instill confidence in our community.”

Barnes faced some criticism for spending time in Chicago, where his family lives. Sgt. Patrick Michaud, a department spokesperson, said Thursday that Barnes has made four trips to Chicago this year and spent in total about 18 days traveling there. Barnes also has traveled to several police executive and recruitment conferences.

Barnes was named as the chief of police in Seattle five days after he was thrust into the national spotlight because of a shooting at a religious school in Wisconsin. At the time, Harrell said Barnes had demonstrated “impressive leadership capabilities” during an investigation into the shooting.

The resignation comes as Seattle heads into another big festival weekend. Seafair Weekend Festival 2026 — a boating event, air show and festival — starts Friday.

With a backdrop of the Space Needle, candles are seen lighted during the vigil for victims the day after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, center, and Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, left, attend the vigil for victims the day after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)